Another Sunburn Question

Ibuprofen also helps with the pain and you can apply a cool compress of any sort to make yourself more comfortable. It usually just takes 2-3 days for the worst to be over - though the bra may be uncomfortable for a while, when the new skin underneath the burn is still thin.

Hard lesson I learned recently: Spray Sunblocks SUCK. My DH got a major sunburn at the beach even though he used an SPF 15 spray AND he reapplied. You could literally see the spray pattern on his back, with little flecks of skin that were badly burned and specks where the sunblock did it's job. As convenient at they are, we are going back to lotion.

1 mom found this helpful

Hi B.! Use extra virgin coconut oil. It works like a charm! Rub it on like lotion. It won't hold the heat in and damage your skin and will prevent you from peeling.
Lavendar oil will take the pain away. I learned that from a few people here at mamapedia, and it works!

I hope you and your kiddos feel better soon!

Being a red head and having been badly burnt a a few times I feel your pain. I have tried a number of the suggestions below but not all of them. Some of them I am not sure I would want to try but... I have done the aloe vera and the aspirin/tylenol/advil. They have worked ok but I don't like the slimy/stickyness of the aloe gels. I happened to see on my bottle of Mentholatum that it helps with sunburn. I decided one day to try it on the back of my hand that I had burnt when I kept score outside all day at the track meet. It worked wonderful and I have used it many times since. It is slimy and greasy but works wonderfully. With the menthol in it, it cools you quickly as well as moisturizes. It does not take the redness away but will take the heat and pain away. I would try it on your son if he is having problems, it works great for the face because it is much easier not to get it on anything. (Keep it out of his eyes, it painful. Also, keep it out of the mouth, it tastes AWFUL!) When the blister on your daughter's ear finally pops make sure you keep it covered, they can become infected easily.

My one warning is that you don't sit/wear or sleep on anything that you don't mind having grease spots on. It doesn't come out well in the washer and is set for life if it makes it to the dryer.

Hope everyone get to feeling better and that you find a few tips that work well for you.

my mom learned of pouring a bowl of 2% milk,dip a wash cloth in it and blot the skin... it did work when she tried it on me once. also,when I used to get over all burns I used to just strip down in the nude and wrap up in a wet cold towel(full sized towel) and sleep that way it makes you kinda shiver cause there is so much heat and then with the cold , but the next morning it had drew alot of the heat from my body. good luck and sorry sunburns suck.

I like Solarcaine spray so much better than the aloe vera gel. I buy it in a spray can and just have someone spray my back. I had a bad sunburn a couple of weeks ago, and this stuff helped so much! It had a numbing effect just a minute or so after I was sprayed. I had my husband spray me just before I went to bed, and it definitely helped me get some sleep.

I think the pain was better after 2 days, but then it itched like crazy for 2 days. Hang in there!

apply pure aloe vera gel, it is a miracle worker. Also if you're itching take aspirin. Apply the gel over and over again, your sunburn may be gone by the morning time, really! Feel better let us know if it worked for you.

The collagen in EGG WHITES is supposed to help rebuild skin collagen. Burn victims (fire, chemical, steam, etc.) heal quicker and with less scarring when it is applied as soon as the burn is cooled with water. Crack the egg, separate the yolk/white and spread the white on the affected area.
Now, I'm not sure how this applies with sunburns, but you might find it soothing...

This may or may not help with the pain, but according to an article in Science News, topical applications of green tea will help reduce the amount of damage done to the skin's DNA. This is especially important for your children, because early severe sunburns are associated with skin cancers late in life. (I'm a redhead who's been dealing with pre-cancers for the last 15 years, so I wish my mom could have known about this.)

There was no dosing suggested in the article. I would just make a strong tea, store it in the fridge, and dab it on early and often. The best painkiller I ever used was straight vinegar, but it does need to be applied often to keep the sting down.

Taking aspirin to help with the pain is a must (unless medically you can't). After a day of Aloe Vera not being enough for me... I used eczema cream before I went to sleep. Sounds funny, but it helped restore moisture to the burned areas and no blisters. It is so thick and doesn't dry up as fast as Aloe Vera does. Feels great after you put it on and stand in front of a fan too. Take aspirin and a nice cool bath (below lukewarm) before you go to bed and sleep with a fan aimed towards you if possible. I've also heard of the half milk half water thing too, but haven't tried it. Gooood Luck

Cheap Shaving cream with lanolin or baby oil! Apply often!

This doesn't smell very good but it works! When I was a teenager, I fell asleep on a reflective mat at the water park in Branson and was burnt bad. After taking a bath in baking soda water, I was rubbed down with white vinegar. After about an hour, I was up and ready for dinner and attended a show that evening. I still use it today if my kids get burnt....they don't like the smell but are appreciative of the quick pain relief.

Go or send someone to the store for a bottle of aloe vera gel. it is nasty slimy stuff lol but it takes the sting out right away. sleep with nothing on except the sheet. if you have to wear something where something like a cami top that won't be floating around catching on things. I wear one of those spaghetti strapped tops that goes to the waste. it won't take but a day or two for the pain to go away but then the peeling will begin which is gross but happens pretty quick. take a shower in luke warm water that helps also. good luck

Should be completely over the pain and fine in about 3-4 days.

I have burnt myself to a CRISP...it does absolutely suck...but it doesn't last forever!

I remember laying flat on my back (stomach and front were sunburned) not moving, having the fan blow on me b/c I was just SO HOT, then I would get the chills and put a sheet over myself, then take it off, etc, etc, etc.... and having help applying aloe every 10-15 mins.....ICK!

Vitamin E capsules. Break them and rub the gel/liquid inside one the burns. If that doesn't relieve it some, see a doctor. You could have 2nd/3rd degree burns and there are creams they can prescribe to relieve pain and heal the skin.

Dermaplast works great and when I was a kid my mom always used Solarcaine. I've read about tea being good and I've used the Banana Boat aloe gel. It seems to work for a short period of time, but it seems like I have to reapply it often. Also taking a pain reliever like Advil, aspirin, etc. will also help. Sorry, I know sunburns suck - been there, done that about a thousand times since my parents didn't believe in putting sunblock on their three highly freckled children!